$344 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica - Compare and Save

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Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
San José
San José1 stop$661
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$727
San José
San José1 stop$661
Liberia
Liberia2 stops$727
Booking Insights

Price, demand and travel trends for Des Moines to Costa Rica flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

Are flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica cheaper or more expensive than last year?

Fares from Des Moines to Costa Rica are running about 14% higher than they were around this time last year, averaging $775 round-trip.

What are the cheapest fares from Des Moines to Costa Rica right now?

The cheapest fares from Des Moines to Costa Rica on KAYAK in the last week were to San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) from $661 round-trip, and to Liberia (LIR) from $727 round-trip.

What’s the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

September is the cheapest time of year to fly, with average fares of $666. Prices are highest in November, when average flight costs increase to around $1,381.

Which airport in Costa Rica is the cheapest to fly to from Des Moines?

Based on KAYAK data from the past 12 months, the cheapest airports to fly into Costa Rica are:

• San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) from $751
• Liberia (LIR) from $801

What’s the cheapest day to fly from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

Sunday tends to be the cheapest day to fly from Des Moines to Costa Rica, while Thursday is the most expensive. Fares run about 38% higher that day, based on the past 12 months of KAYAK data.

What's the cheapest time of day to fly from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

Data from the past 12 months shows it's cheapest to fly to Costa Rica during the afternoon with average prices of $734. The evening is the most expensive time to fly, with average prices of $794.

Key details for Des Moines to Costa Rica flights

Low season

October

Cheapest flight

$344
Beat the crowds with an average 56% drop in travelers.
The most popular month to fly with an average 48% increase in travelers.
One-way flight from Des Moines to San José

Your Des Moines to Costa Rica flight questions, answered

Find helpful answers about this route, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking tips.

  • Is now a good time to book a flight from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

    Yes. Fares from Des Moines to Costa Rica are low right now. As a rule of thumb, a round-trip under $687 (cheaper than most fares this year) is a good deal, so if you spot one at or below that, it's a good time to book.

  • How much should I budget for a flight from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

    Over the past 12 months, round-trip fares from Des Moines to Costa Rica have ranged from $687 to $896.

  • What airlines fly nonstop from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

    Based on the flight schedule for the next 3 months, no airline regularly operates nonstop flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica. One-stop options include:

    • Delta
    • American Airlines
    • United Airlines

  • Which cabin classes are available on flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica?

    On flights from Des Moines to Costa Rica you can book Economy Class or First Class.

  • What are some popular landmarks in Costa Rica?

    KAYAK travelers' favorite landmarks in Costa Rica include:

    • Parque Metropolitano La Sabana
    • Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica
    • Museo de Oro
    • Morazan Park

Your guide to booking Des Moines to Costa Rica flights

Get tips on when to book, when to fly and what to know before your trip.
  • If your travel dates are flexible, book your trip for September when flights are typically cheapest and avoid November when prices are at their highest.
  • Flying on Sunday is usually the cheapest. Flights on Thursday cost about 38% more on average, so being flexible with your travel dates could help you save.
  • If you're looking to save, San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) is the cheapest airport to fly into from Des Moines. If you have onward travel, don't forget to factor in the cost of your journey by train, bus or domestic flight.
  • Start your trip in San José, which is the most popular destination in Costa Rica. From there, it's easy to continue on to other popular destinations such as La Fortuna, Tamarindo and Manuel Antonio.

Reviews of the top airlines flying from Des Moines to Costa Rica

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Des Moines to Costa Rica? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.3
United AirlinesOverall score based on 10388 reviews
6.7Food
7.3Comfort
8.1Crew
7.1Entertainment
7.7Boarding
Airline reviews

Flight was so congested it was disgusting. Hals of the hostesses clearly seemed to be racist. no sanitation maintained in the restrooms.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Oct 2026
Read more United Airlines reviews

Flight was so congested it was disgusting. Hals of the hostesses clearly seemed to be racist. no sanitation maintained in the restrooms.

United, from whom we bought this code-shared flight, mid-flight canceled our tickets for the rest of our itinerary, without explanation. After long delay they tried to re-issue the tickets, but Air Canada could not find the re-issue. It finally resolved after escalation to several layers of supervisors.

Takeoff delayed 2 hrs. Boarded on time to find we were missing part of the flight crew. Then informed that they had loaded too much fuel. Spent 1 1/2 hrs sitting there burning off the excess, which included a couple of laps around the runway until we were light enough to fly! Ridiculous!

1 flight cancelled Had to fly out of different city Flight at new departure city was delayed 3 hours causing us to miss connecting flights. By the time we did make it to Prague our luggage did not. Had to wait day and a half for luggage to be delivered. Customer service was not good. Agents did not arrive at gate until 5-10 minutes before boarding

It was better than excellent. The staff in Mason City were great. The young woman that pushed my wheelchair did more than could be expected of her. She came from India 17 years ago. I don't remember her name.

My experience on this United Airlines flight was highly uncomfortable, primarily due to two issues: Cabin Temperature: The temperature on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was unacceptably high, feeling consistently around 80 degrees throughout the flight. This made sleeping impossible and significantly detracted from the experience. Seating Arrangement: Being stuck in a middle seat for a six-and-a-half-hour overnight flight compounded the discomfort. Moving forward, I will always purchase a seat assignment to avoid this situation.

Very rough getting into denver. my kid threw up it was so rough.

Liked that we left on time for each flight. Snacks not the best, but we're okay.

I had very little time to change planes originally in Denver after my flight from Omaha. I had an hour and a half layover in Denver originally and my flight leaving Omaha was delayed an hour because they had to change a tire, which I can understand. When I reached Denver my other flight was late, fortunately, but I still had only 10 minutes to run about a mile through the airport to get to my flight. Again, fortunately, I am a healthy 71-year-old and was able to accomplish this feat. However, the stress was more than necessary to bear.

I had requested wheelchair assistance prior to flight. The airport staff had no record of it. It was not provided at Cedar Rapids which was a small airport, so I managed on my own. At O'Hare airport the same thing happened. The staff told me they had no record of my request for a wheel chair. But they finally provided it after a delay when I insisted that I needed it.

At 5:46 am EST, when I arrived at my departing gate, your gqte agent told me that I could not board the flight because the flight is closed 15 minuets before departure. However, the same gate agent escorted a woman (standing right next to me) at the gate onto the flight which, proves that I could have boarded the flight just like the woman I watched board the flight. The gate agent stated "she was here before you". 1-why was she not already on the flight & 2-how and why was she able to board a "closed" flight that I was not. Additionally, although 6am EST was the time of departure, the plane did not 'pullback' from the gate until 6:15am EST The same gate agent told me that the "boarding closes 15 before departure time" is printed on my boarding pass. This statement is not displayed on my digital boarding pass that I downloaded from AA.com. She also told me that this in stated on AA.com whent I booked my ticket however, since am travelling for work, I booked my flight thru my firm's (Deloitte Consulting) corporate travel app, not AA.com. Marc W Brown

What an amazing plane! We flew a 787 to Miami. Although the Internet was not functioning, it was a wonderful flight.

The plane was experiencing problems with the HVAC system, it was very cold in the front of the plane and very hot in the back.

The boarding process needs to be fixed. The zone don't work, especially when there is hardly anyone in zones 3, 4,and 5, leaving the majority of the passengers backed up in the aisle, especially because passengers seated near the front are blocking passengers who are seated in the rear of the plane. It would also help if the size of carry on bags was more strictly enforced.

In flight connectivity (via T-Mobile) was often not working.

Terrible. Internet/kiosk glitch prevented baggage checkin. Line at ticket co in Ter was under serviced and did not move. Agents did not call for flight but rather allowed time to pass. Then told each person as they reached the front if line that it was too late to check bags so they’d have to rebook flights. At least 15 people missed the flight as a result of this incompetence.

It was exactly what I expected, actually arriving sooner than scheduled.

Terrible, they canceled my flight due to an issue they had, couldn't fly me into the same place within 24 hrs so had to fly in 2.5 hrs away from my destination and spend even more money. The customer service was terrible (except at the airport in Charleston). Had to call to get my checked baggage fees reimbursed 2 wks later in which one customer service agent was very rude, wouldn't listen and then hung up on me. The second lady I spoke with was actually able to help me with that part thankfully. Would not recommend flying AA.

Delayed, missed connecting flight, ground crew double charged for international charges, were super rude and told me to just”deal with it” when I complained. Horrible airline, very frustrating.

A much better flight than our previous. The flight attendant took care of us and regularly checked in to see if we needed anything. Brought us drinks prior to the departure and then a couple more times. Totally makes the difference in how you travel when the crew is checking on their passengers. Great job on this leg of our trip.

More options for your flight from Des Moines to Costa Rica

Complete your trip to Costa Rica with a hotel stay or car rental